


For Archer

by reigningqueenofwords



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 07:02:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17462837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reigningqueenofwords/pseuds/reigningqueenofwords





	For Archer

“I can’t believe yer doin’ this!” Donna beamed over at her husband.

Dean’s heart skipped a beat at the way she looked at him. “Anything for my beautiful wife and kick-ass son!” He chuckled when Archer turned and gave Dean a high five.

“Thanks for this, dad!” Archer exclaimed before running a bit ahead. The ten year old was the complete opposite of his father in many ways. He was more into the outdoors, and less into cars. Dean had tried his damndest to teach him, but gave him when Archer was eight and asked ‘dad, I’d rather do science homework than this’. It stung, but since he’d tried to get more into the outdoors deal. For Archer.

“No problem, buddy. Just remember, this means when we get back, your sister isn’t letting me out of her sight.” He teased.

Donna slowed enough to give Dean’s hand a squeeze. “You coulda easily said ‘a night’ of campin’, or ‘a weekend’. Instead, yer givin’ him two whole weeks of this!” She praised him.

He leaned over and kissed her softly. “I figured he’ll only get the chance once a year, and he’s getting older. Soon he’ll hate our guts and be slamming doors.” He shrugged. “Gotta get some brownie points in.” Dean joked, making Donna laugh. “Maybe next year I’ll make it a man’s weekend. Have dad come along, and have you, mom, and Moyra do whatever you’d like to do.”

Hearing an ‘oof’, Donna looked over in time to see Archer standing up. “Awe, man.” He groaned. “Mom’s gonna freak.” He sighed.

“Why?” Donna asked him, worried.

Archer turned. “It’s just some blood, can we wipe my leg off when we get to camp, mom? Please?” He asked, giving her puppy eyes that she was sure he got from Sam.

Against her better judgement, she nodded. “Yeah, we can do that.” She agreed.

“I’m proud of you.” Dean told her as they moved on.

“Well, if Moyra is anything like Archer…” She sighed. With him being more outdoorsy, he got his fair share of cuts and bruises. “Besides, he’s gotten worse, so I’m sure I’ll be fine until we get there.” She told him.

* * *

Sam sat on the floor, playing with Moyra, smiling at her giggling. “You’re such a happy baby, huh?” He chuckled as she laughed. At 6 months old, he was happy to watch her while the other three were camping. It gave him a chance to be completely happy.

His own family- his wife, Jess, and their three kids (Karlee, Daniel, and Quint)- had been in a fatal car accident just two years before. It was hard moving on with his life, and just recently had started to try to get back into doing things he loved doing with Jess. Having Archer, and later on, Moyra, had been a huge help. He doted on his niece and nephew, always agreeing to watch them if needed.

* * *

“Mooooooom.” Archer whined. “My knee really hurts.” He told her. They’d been camping just over a week at that point, so she just figured that he’d managed to scrap it again.

She moved over and crouched in front of him. “Let me take a look.” Donna smiled at him, but her smile fell when she felt his skin. “Let me feel yer forehead.” When he leaned forward, she saw something was wrong, and put the back of her hand to his forehead. “Yer burning up!” She told him.

Dean was zipping his fly as he walked back into camp, looking between an uncomfortable looking Archer, and worried looking Donna. “I wasn’t gone that long, what happened?”

The look on Donna’s face when she looked towards Dean scared even him. “Somethin’ ain’t right.” She told him. “We needta get him to the hospital. He’s clammy, and burnin’ up.”

Nodding, Dean started to gather their things. “Can you walk, buddy?” Dean asked, looking towards his son.

“I can try.” He shrugged weakly.

“If it hurts too much, let me know.” Dean told him. “I don’t want you forcing yourself.”

Archer nodded. “Thanks, Dad.”

* * *

Sam had just gotten Moyra down for her afternoon nap and was about to get some cleaning done when his phone went off. “They have reception there?” He answered teasingly when he had seen Dean’s name.

“We’re on our way to the hospital. Something’s wrong with Archer.” He explained. “Wanted to call and give you a heads up.”

“What happened?” He paled, worried for his nephew. The thought of anything happening to him made him sick to his stomach.

Dean sighed. “He fell and cut his knee the day we got here. Cleaned it up at the campsite. I went to take a leak sometime after lunch, and when I get back he looks like hell, and Donna looks worried.” He went on. “Archer was burning up, and clammy. I wound up carrying him most of the way back because it was hard for him to breath.”

Running his hand through his hair, Sam plopped on his living room couch. “Shit, man.” He breathed. “Alright, well, I hope everything turns out okay. Moyra just went down for her nap, so call me when you find anything out.”

“Thanks, man. Donna’s in the back with him now, she’s a wreck.” Dean glanced in the rearview mirror, his heart breaking for his family. “Can you call mom and dad? I just can’t right now, you know they’ll be freaking out.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah, of course.” He breathed, the phone call to his parents telling them about the car accident came to mind. Dean had been the one to tell them, as Sam was barely able to do anything once told.

* * *

“Mr. and Mrs. Winchester?” Came a soothing female’s voice. “I’m Dr. Bryans.” She introduced herself as she stepped in. Donna’s face was wet with tears, her hand holding Archer’s. “Your son’s tests came back, and from what my nurses told me…I’m very sorry to have to tell you this.” It was written on her face that even she was feeling the emotions. “Your son has sepsis.”

Donna cried, leaning her head on the top of Archer’s hand. He was currently asleep, hooked up to IV’s and oxygen. “You can cure him, though, right?” Dean asked, swallowing down his tears.

She took a deep breath. “Between five and thirty percent of pediatric patients will develop septic shock, and about twenty to thirty percent of children will pass.” Dr. Bryans explained. “We have him on antibiotics to fight the infection. Given the severity of your sons, we may not see improvement for seven to ten days.”

“That’s if it works.” He said sadly, earning a solemn nod. “Thanks, doc.” He told her.

“We’ll do everything in our power to save him.” She assured the two of them.

* * *

Time seemed to move in slow motion, Donna and Dean taking turns by Archer’s bedside. Sam, John, and Mary would join them, as well, hoping that Archer pulled through. All five of them were running themselves ragged between worrying about Archer, and taking care of Moyra.

Mary and John flew in, and were staying with Sam during everything. Mary made sure that everyone got a home cooked meal at least once a day, refusing to let her family live off of fast food and hospital food.

Sam and Dean were by Archer’s bedside when all his monitors went off, causing nurses and doctors to rush into the room. “We need you to step outside.” One of the nurses told the brothers, urging them out into the hall.

Dean broke, his shoulders shaking as he leaned against the wall right outside his son’s hospital room. Slowly, he slid to the floor, exhausted. He gripped his short blonde hair, his elbows resting on his knees.

Standing next to him in silence was Sam, his hands shoved in his pockets. He had no idea what to say to his older brother. Which made him feel worse.

It felt like an eternity before the door opened and one of the doctor’s stepped out. Dean looked up at him, a broken man. The second he saw the doctor’s face, he knew. “I’m so sorry.” The doctor told him.

Dean was having trouble breathing at that, trying to calm himself. His son was dead just feet away from him, and he had to now tell his wife their son wouldn’t be coming home. He’d be telling his parents they lost yet another grandchild. How much more loss could the Winchesters honestly handle?


End file.
